Federal authorities are investigating after several Ford Fusions packed with marijuana were shipped to various dealerships in Ohio.
NBC News reports a drug task force was called to the Ford dealership in Portage County on July 7 after a service department employee made the discovery while inspecting it after it was taken off a transport carrier. Inside the wheel compartment, authorities found more than 400 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of $1 million.
The vehicle was originally shipped to Lordstown Rail Solutions, where investigators found a total of 15 Ford Fusions with marijuana inside had been distributed to dealerships — including some in Columbiana and Mahoning counties. The marijuana was hidden inside packages compressed to resemble a tire. Sources told WKBN that each car had about 30 pounds of marijuana in it.
The Portage County Sheriff’s Office says the cars were manufactured in Sonora, Mexico and crossed the Mexican border into Arizona on their way to Trumbull County, where they were dropped off at the rail yard.
Youngstown DEA Agent Bob Balzano said this is not uncommon. Earlier this year, drugs were found hidden in cars in Minnesota. Balzano believes someone was supposed to pick up the drugs before they made their way to area dealerships. Investigators don’t believe the dealerships were involved, and Balzano said those working at the plant in Mexico may not have even been involved.
“We don’t know at what point it was put into the vehicles,” he said.
The investigation is continuing, and no arrests have been made yet.
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